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Long Beach council approves water-rate increase, votes to keep sewer charge linked to water; discussion focuses on aging meters and fund balances
Summary
The City Council adopted an ordinance increasing water rates and a local law adjusting sewer rents tied to the water charge after public hearings and discussion about depleted water fund balance, aging meters and billing accuracy.
The Long Beach City Council on May 20 approved an ordinance to raise water rates and a companion local law adjusting sewer rents, following a public hearing in which city staff described a near-exhausted water fund and aging water meters that underreport usage.
City Manager Dan Creighton told the council the water fund “must be funded entirely through water rates,” saying the fund’s reserves were largely spent last year to postpone rate increases and that operational costs (pension, insurance, capital repairs and main breaks) now must be paid through higher rates. Gina Resnick, the city controller, attributed a minor discrepancy in the draft rate schedule to a billing-system rounding issue: “It was a rounding issue,” she said.
Why it matters: the water rate increase is intended to cover regular operating cost inflation and deferred…
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